THE 



CHARTER 



QUEEN'S COLLEGE, 



NEW-JERSEY. 



PRESS OF J. TERHUNE &c SON, ALBANY STREET 
MDCCCL. 









68176 



CHARTER &c. 

— =D<|)(|>&= — 



George the third, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France 
and Ireland, King, defender of the faith, &c. To all to whom 
these presents shall come greeting: Whereas our loving subjects 
being of the protestant reformed religion, according to the constitu- 
tion of the reformed churches in the United Provinces, and using 
the discipline of the said churches, as approved and institued by 
the national synod of Dort, in the years one thousand six hundred 
and eighteen, and one thousand six hundred and nineteen, are in 
this and the ne'ghbouring Provinces very numerous, consisting of 
many churches and religious assemblies, the ministers and elders 
of which having taken into serious consideration, the manner in 
which the said churches might be properly supplied with an able, 
learned and well qualified ministry ; and thinking it necessary, 
and being very desirous that a College might be erected for that 
purpose within this our Province of New- Jersey, in which the 
learned languages and other branches of useful knowledge may 
be taught, and degrees conferred ; and especially that young men 
of suitable abilities may be instructed in divinity, preparing them 
for the ministry, and supplying the necessity of the churches ; for 
themselves and'in behalf of their churches, presented a petition to 
our trusty and well beloved William Franklin, Esq. Governour 
and Commander in Chief, in and over our Province of New-Jersey 



in America ; setting forth that inconveniencies are manifold and 
the expenses heavy, in either being supplied with ministers of the 
gospel from foreign parts, or sending young men abroad for educa- 
tion ; that the present and increasing necessity for a considerable 
number to be employed in the ministry, is great; that a preserva- 
tion of a fund for the necessary uses of instruction very much 
depends upon a charter. 

And therefore humbly entreat, that some persons might be in- 
corporated in a body politick, for the purposes aforesaid ; and we 
being willing to grant the reasonable request and prayer of the 
said petitioners, and to promote learning for the benefit of the 
community, and advancement of the protestant religion of all 
denominations ; and more especially to remove as much as possible 
the necessity our said loving subjects have hitherto been under, 
of sending their youth intended for the ministry, to a foreign 
country for education, and of being subordinate to a foreign 
ecclesiastical jurisdiction : Know ye therefore, that considering 
the premises, we do of our special grace, certain knowledge and 
mere motion, by these presents, will, ordain, grant and constitute, 
that there be a College, called Queeri's College, erected in our 
said Province of New-Jersey, for the education of youth in the 
learned languages, liberal and useful arts and sciences, and espe- 
cially in divinity ; preparing them for the ministry, and other 
good offices. And that the Trustees of the said College and their 
successors for ever, may and shall be one body corporate and 
politick, in deed, fact and name ; and shall be called, known and 
distinguished by the name of the Trustees of Queen's College, in 
New-Jersey : And we having further willed and constituted, and 
by these presents of our special grace, certain knowledge and 
mere motion, do for us, our heirs and successors, will, give, grant 
constitute and ordain, that there shall be from henceforth for ever, 
a body politick, consisting of the Trustees of the said Queeri's 
College, in New- Jersey. And for the more full and more perfect 
erection of the said corporation and body politick, consisting of the 
Trustees of Queeri's College, in New. Jersey. We do of our special 
grace, certain knowledge and mere motion, by these presents, for 
us, our heirs and successors, create, ordain, constitute, nominate 



and appoint, the governour or commander in chief, the president 
of the council, our chief justice, and our attorney general of said 
colony, for the time being ; Sir William Johnson, Baronet, and 
Johannes Henricus Goetschius, Johannes Leydt, David Maurinus, 
Martinus Van Harlingen, Jacob R. Hardenbergh, and William 
Jackson of our said colony of New-Jersey, Samuel Verbryk, 
Barent Vrooman, Maurice Goetschius, Eilardus Westerlo, John 
Schureman, of our province of New- York ; and Philip Wyberg, 
and Jonathan Dubois of the province of Pennsylvania ; Hendrick 
Fisher, Peter Zabriskie, Peter Hasenclever, Peter Schenck, 
Tunis Dey, Philip French, John Covenhoven, Henricus Kuyper, 
of our colony of New- Jersey, Esqrs. and Simon Johnson, Philip 
Livingston, Johannes Hardenbergh, Abraham Hasbrouck , Theo- 
dorus Van Wyck, Abraham Lott, Robert Livingston, Levi Pauling, 
John Brinckerhoff, Nicholas Stillwill Martinus Hoffman, Jacob H. 
Ten Eyck, John Plaring, Isaac Vrooman, Barnardus Ryder, of our 
province of New-York, Esqrs., Trustees of our said Queen's 
College, in New-Jersey ; and that the said Trustees, do at their 
first meeting, after the receipt of these presents and before they 
proceed to any business, take the oaths appointed to be taken by 
an act passed in the sixth year of our reign, entitled, " an act for 
'* altering the oaths of abjuration and assurance, and for amending 
" so much of an act of the seventh year of her late majesty Queen 
*' Anne, entitled, for the improvement of the union of the two king- 
" doms, as after the time therein limited, requires the delivery of 
" certain lists and copies therein mentioned to persons indicted of 
" high treason, or misprison of treason : as also that they make and 
*' subscribe the declaration mentioned in an act of parliament, made 
" in the twenty-fifth year of the reign of King Charles the second, 
" entitled," an act for preventing dangers which may happen from 
popish recusants, and likewise take an oath for faithfully executing 
the office or trust, reposed in them ; which said oaths shall be ad- 
ministered to them by any one of our justices of the supreme court, 
or judges of the inferior court of common pleas of this our colony 
of New-Jersey ; and when, and as often as any new member or 
officer shall be elected or chosen hereafter, pursuant to this our 
charter, he or they so elected or chosen, shall take and subscribe 
the aforementioned oaths, and declarations in the manner above 



directed, before his admission into his trust or office. And we do 
will and direct, that the first meeting of the said trustees, shall be 
at or near the court house in New-Barbadoes, in the county of 
Bergen, on the second Tuesday in May next, but all other meet- 
ings hereafter to be held, shall be at such times and places in our 
said colony, as the majority of the trustees from time to time shall 
think proper. And we do will and direct that no meeting of the 
trustees, succeeding the first already fixed, shall be valid, or legal, 
for doing any business whatsoever, unless publick notice of such 
meeting shall have been given in the Gazette, or other publick 
papers printed in New- York, at least three weeks before the day 
of meeting, signed by the president or person officiating as clerk to 
the trustees, for the time being; or unless the time and place shall 
be fixed by the majority of the trustees, at their last meeting, and 
notice thereof given as before directed: and we further will and 
grant that the said trustees, or any twelve, or greater number, shall 
have full power and authority to elect by ballot, and not otherwise, 
any number of persons or trustees, at any, and upon any vacancy, 
so that the whole number of trustees do not exceed forty-one, and 
that not above one third of the said number, at any time, be of 
those ordained ministers of the gospel ; and that at their first and 
every meeting, the governour of our colony for the time being, shall 
be president of the Trustees, and in his absence, the president of 
our council, and in his absence, our chief justice, and in his ab- 
sence, our attorney general, each for the time being ; and in case 
of their absence, w^e will, and order that the trustees present, shall 
elect and choose one from among themselves, who shall be presi- 
dent of the trustees at that meeting; which said president, herein 
before appointed, or so chosen, is hereby authorised and empowered 
to be president of the trustees at the said meeting ; to regulate 
their proceedings, take in suffrages, and have, over and above his 
vote as a trustee, a casting votes, when the votes of the trustees are 
equal. And we further of our special grace, certain knowledge, 
and mere motion, for us, our heirs and successors, will, give, grant, 
and appoint, that the said trustees and their successors shall for 
ever hereafter, be in deed, fact, and name, a body corporate and 
politick, and that they the said body corporate and politick, shall be 
known and distinguished in all deeds, grants, bargains, sales, 



writings, evidences, moniments, or otherwise however, and in all 
courts for ever hereafter, shall and may sue, and be sued, plead, 
and be empleaded, by the name of the Trustees of Queen'' s College 
in New-Jersey ; and that the said corporation by the name afore- 
said, shall be able, and in law capable, for the use of the said 
College, to have, get, acquire, purchase, receive and possess, lands, 
tenements, hereditaments, jurisdictions, and franchises, for them- 
selves and their successors, in fee simple or otherwise howsoever ; 
and to purchase, receive, or build any house, or houses, or any 
other buildings as they shall think needful and convenient, for the 
use of the said Queen^s College ; and in such place or places in 
this our colony of New-Jersey, as they the said trustees, or the 
major part of them, met as aforesaid, shall agree upon ; and also 
to receive any goods and chattels, lands or tenements, for the use 
aforesaid ; and also to have, accept and receive, any rents, profits, 
annuities, gifts, legacies, donations, and bequests, of any kind what- 
soever, for the use aforesaid: .Nevertheless that the yearly clear 
value of the premises, do not exceed the sum of three thousand 
pounds sterling; and therewith or otherwise to support and pay 
(as the said trustees and their successors, or the major part of them, 
which regularly convene for that purpose, shall agree and see 
cause) the president, professors, tutors, and other officers or minis- 
ters of the said Queen^s College, their respective annual salaries or 
allowances, and all such other necessary and contingent charges, 
as from time to time, shall arise and accrue relating to the said 
Queen's College, And also to grant, bargain, sell, let, or assign, 
lands, tenements, hereditaments, goods or chattels, and contract, or 
do all other things whatsoever by the name aforesaid, and for the 
use aforesaid, in as full and ample manner to all intents and pur- 
poses, as any natural person, or other body politick or corporation, 
is able to do by the laws of our realm of Great Britain, or of our 
said province of New-Jersey. And of our further grace, certain 
knowledge, and mere motion, to the intent that our said corporation 
and body politick, may answer the end of their erection and consti- 
tution, and may have perpetual succession, and continuance for 
ever, We do for us, our heirs and successors, hereby will, give, 
and grant, unto the said trustees of Queen'' s College, in New-Jersey, 
and to their successors for ever, that when any twelve of tlie said 



trustees for the time being, are convened and met together as afore- 
said, for the service of the said college, they shall be capable to 
act as fully and amply to all intents and pui'poses, as if all the 
trustees of the said college were personally present; and all mat- 
ters whatsoever, under the care of the trustees, shall be determined 
by the majority of those twelve, or any greater number so con- 
vened and met together, as fully and effectually as if the same had 
been concluded by the plurality of votes of the whole number of 
trustees, met and assembled. And we do hereby give and grant, 
full power and authority to any five, or more of the said trustees, 
to call meetings of the said trustees, from time to time, and to order 
notice to be given to the said trustees, of the time and places of 
meetings for the service aforesaid, as herein before is directed. 

And also, we do hereby for us, our heirs, and successors, will, 
give and grant unto the Trustees of Queen^s College, in New- 
Jersey, and their successors for ever, that the said trustees, from 
time to time, and for ever hereafter, do elect, nominate, and 
appoint such a qualified person, being a member of the Dutch 
Reformed Church afor.esaid, as they or the major part of any 
twelve of them, convened for that purpose, as above directed, shall 
think fit, to be the president of the said college ; and to have the 
immediate care of the education and government of such students, 
as shall be sent and admitted into the said college for education 
and instruction ; and shall and may, by and with the consent of 
the majority of the said trustees as aforesaid, confer all such honor- 
ary degrees, as usually are granted and conferred in any of our 
colleges in any of our colonies in America ; and also, that the 
said trustees do elect, nominate and appoint a professor in divinity, 
who shall and may read lectures in theology, instruct the students 
in the science of divine truths and the knowledge of the holy scrip- 
tures, who also may be president of the college, or not, as the 
trustees shall see meet and convenient ; and also such a number 
of other professors and tutors, to assist the president of the said 
college, in the education and government of the students belonging 
to it, as they the said trustees, or their successors, or the major 
part of them, which shall convene for that purpose, as above 
directed, shall from time to time, and at any time hereafter, think 
necessary, for the advantage, and well being of the said college. 



9 

Provided always, and it is hereby declared, and expressly enjoined, 
that there shall always be, residing at or near said college, at least 
one professor, or teacher, well versed in the English language 
elected, nominated, maintained and supported by the said corpora- 
tion, from time to time, and at all times hereafter, grammatically 
to instruct the students of the said college, in the knowledge of 
the English language. Provided also, that all minutes of the 
meetings, and transactions of the trustees, and all rules, orders, 
and regulations, relating to the government of the said college, 
and all accounts relating to the receipts, and payments of money, 
shall be in the English language, and no other. And we do here- 
by further give and grant to the said trustees, and their successors, 
or the major part of any twelve of them, convened for that purpose, 
as above directed, full power and authority, at any time to dis- 
place, and discharge from the service of the said Queen'' s College^ 
such president, professor of divinity, professors and tutors, and to 
elect others in their room and stead ; and also that the said trus- 
tees, or their successors as above directed, do, from time to time, 
as occasion shall require, elect, constitute, and appoint a treasurer, 
(which treasurer shall give security to the trustees for the faithful 
performance of his office, for such sum, and in such manner as 
the said trustees shall see fit to require) a clerk, and steward for 
the said college, and shall liliewise appoint to them, and each of 
them, their respective business and trusts, and displace and dis- 
charge from the service of said college, such treasurer, clerk, or 
steward, and elect others in their room and stead ; which president, 
professor of divinity, tutors, professors, treasurer, clerk, and 
steward, so elected and appointed. We do for us, our heirs, and 
successors, by these presents, constitute and establish in their 
several offices, and do give them and every of them, full power 
and authority, to exercise the same in the said Qiieen^s College, in 
New- Jersey, according to the direction, and during the pleasure 
of the said trustees, as fully and freely as any other the like officers 
in any of our colleges in our realm of Great Britain, lawfully 
may or ought to do. And also, that the said trustees, and their 
successors in the manner above directed, as often as the place of 
any one or more of the said trustees, shall become vacant by the 
death, removal, or immoral conduct of any one of the members 



10 

(which conduct shall be determined by the trustees, or the majority 
of them) shall and may elect and appoint, in the manner before 
directed, such other trustee, or trustees, to supply the place of him 
or them so dying, or otherwise becoming unfit, or incapable to 
serve the said college ; and every trustee so elected, and appointed, 
shall, by virtue of these presents, and of such election and appoint- 
ment, be vested with all the powers and privileges, which any of 
the other trustees of the said college, are hereby invested with. 
And we do further of our special grace, certain knowledge, and 
mere motion, will, give, and grant, and by these presents, for us, 
our heirs, and successors, do give, and grant, unto the said Trus- 
tees of the said Queen'' s -College, in New- Jersey, that they and 
their successors, convened for that purpose, as above directed, may 
make, and they are hereby fully empowered from time to time, 
freely and fully to make and establish, such ordinances, orders 
and laws, as may tend to the good wholesome government of the 
said college, and all the students, and the several officers, and 
ministers thereof, and to the publick benefit of the ssme, not re- 
pugnant to the laws and statutes of our realm of Great Britain, or 
of this our province of New-Jersey: and such ordinances, orders 
and laws, which shall be so made as aforesaid, we do by these 
presents, for us our heirs, and successors, ratify, allow^ and con- 
firm, as good and effectual to oblige and bind all the said students, 
and several officers, and ministers of the said Queen' s- College ; 
and we do hereby authorize and empower the said trustees of the 
said college, and the president, professor of divinity, professors, 
and tutors, by them elected, and appointed, to put such laws and 
ordinances in execution, to all proper intents and purposes. And 
we do further by these presents, for us, our heirs, and successors, 
of our special grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, give, 
and grant, unto the said Trustees of Qucen^s- College, in New- 
Jersey, and to their successors, that they shall have a common 
seal, under which they may pass diplomas, and certificates of 
advancement in literature, and the science of theology, as aforesaid. 
And that the said trustees of said college, by deed, or deeds of con- 
veyance, leases, or other legal instruments, duly executed, under 
the hands of seven of the trustees, at any publick meeting, convened 
as herein before directed, and with the seal of the corporation 



11 

affixed thereto, may pass the estate of the said corporation, in lands 
or tenements, in fee, or for years, to any person or persons ; and 
the same deeds or leases, shall pass the estate thereby intended to 
be granted or leased, to all intents and purposes ; and to notify all 
the necessary affairs and business, of and concerning the said 
corporation, or of and concerning the said Queen's College, in 
New-Jersey ; which common seal shall be engraved in such form, 
and with such inscription, as shall be devised by the said Trustees 
of the said College, or the majority, convened as above directed ; 
and shall have a book or books of entry, for the use of the 
rtustees to be in such custody, with all other writings as they 
shall appoint. And we do further for us, our heirs, and successors, 
give, and grant, unto the said Trustees of Queen's College, in 
New-Jersey, and their successors, or any twelve of them, as above- 
said, full power and authority, from time to time, to nominate and 
appoint, all other inferior officers and ministers, which they shall 
judge necessary for the use of the College, not herein particularly 
named or mentioned : which officers, or ministers, we do hereby 
empower to execute their offices or trusts, as fully and freely as 
any other the like officers and ministers in any of our Colleges, in 
our realm of Great Britain, lawfully may or ought to do. And 
lastly, our express will and pleasure is, and we do by these 
presents, for us, our heirs, and successors, give, and grant, unto 
the Trustees of Queen'' s College, in New-Jersey, and their succes- 
sors for ever, that these our letters patent, or the enrolment thereof, 
shall be good and effectual in law to all intents and purposes, 
against us, our heirs, and succe.ssors, without any other license, 
grant, or confirmation, from us, our heirs, and successors, here- 
after by the said Trustees to be had and obtained. Notwith- 
standing' the not reciting, or misreciting, or not naming, or mis- 
naming of the aforesaid officers, franchises, privileges, immunities, 
or other the premises, or any of them, and notwithstanding a writ 
o^ Ad Quod Damnum, hath not issued forth to enquire of the prem- 
ises, or any of them before the ensealing hereof, any statute, act, 
ordinance, provision, or any other matter or thing, to the contrary, 
notwithstanding : To have, hold, and enjoy all and singular, tiie 
privileges, advantages, liberties, immunities, and all other the 
premises herein or hereby granted, and given, or which are meant. 

Lofc. 



12 

mentioned, or intended to be herein and hereby granted, unto 
them the said Trustees of the said Queens College, in New-Jersey, 
and to their successors for ever. In testimony whereof, we have 
caused these our letters to be made patent, and the great seal of 
our said province of New-Jersey, to be hereunto affixed. Witness, 
our trusty and well beloved, William Franklin, Esquire, Gov- 
ernour and Commander in Chief, of our said province of New- 
Jersey, this twentieth day of March, in the tenth year of our reign, 
Anno Domini ,one thousand, seven hundred and seventy- 



AN ACT 

RELATIVE TO QUEEN'S COLLEGE &c. 

Passed the 21st of May, 1799. 

I. Whereas William Franklin Esquire, late governour of the 
then province of New-Jersey, by his charter, bearing date the 
twentieth day of March, in the year of our Lord, one thousand 
seven hundred and seventy, did establish a College, by the name 
of Queen's College, in the said province ; and whereas the trustees 
of said College have, by their petition, prayed that the said charter, 
with certain alterations and amendments, may be confirmed : 
Therefore, Be it enacted hy the Council and General Assembly of 
this State, and it is hereby enacted hy the authority of the same, 
That the oath to support the constitution of the United States, and 
the oath of allegiance to this State, as by law prescribed, be sul)- 
stituted in the place of the oaths required by the said charter. 

II. And be it enacted, That the notice for the meetings of the 
trustees of the said college be given in any newspaper published 
in the State of New-.Tersey or of New. York, instead of New- 
York only. 

III. And be it enacted, That such parts of the said charter as 
restrict those ordained ministers of the gospel, at any time elected 
trustees, not to exceed one third of the whole, and as direct that 
the governour of the colony for the time being, and in his absence, 
the president of the council, and in his absence, the chief justice, 
and in his absence, the attorney general, shall be the president of 
the trustees, at their first and every meeting, be, and are hereby re- 
voked and annulled; and that the governour of this State for the 
time being, shall, when attending, be president of tlie said trustees 
at their meetincs. 



14 

IV. And he it enacted, That the powers of granting degrees, 
vested in the president of the said college, by and with the consent 
of the majority of the said trustees, established as a quorum in the 
said charter, be, and they hereby are extended to the conferring 
of any degrees granted by any other college or university. 

V. And be itenacied, That the said charter, with the before- 
mentioned alterations and amendments, be, and the same hereby 
is ratified and confirmed. 

VI. And be it enacted, That the act, entitled "An Act to alter, 
amend, and confirm the charter of Queen's College, in New- 
Jersey," passed the fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord, one 
thousand, seven hundred and eighty-one, be, and the same is 
hereby repealed. 



A SUPPLEMENT 

TO THE ACT ENTITLED 

"AN ACT RELATIVE TO QUEEN'S COLLEGE." 

Whereas the Trustees of Queen's College, in New-Jersey, 
have represented to the Legislature, that certain amendments to 
their Charter would be conducive to their convenience ; and more- 
over, requesting that the name, by which said institution is known, 
may be changed. Therefore, 

I. Be it enacted hy the Council and General Assemhly of this 
State, and it is hereby enacted hy the authority of the same, That 
the Trustees of said college be, and they are, hereby authorized 
to hold their annual corrmencement for the instil ution, over which 
they preside, on such day and at such time as they may think 
proper to appoint for that purpose, any thing in their charter of in- 
corporation contained to the contrary notwithstanding. 

IL And he it enacted, That the said Trustees, be and they are 
hereby authorized to meet for the transaction of any business, 
either upon adjournment or otherwise, upon such day and at such 
time or times as they may appoint, without the necessity of adver- 
tising such meeting in any public newspaper, as heretofore ; any 
provision in their charter of incorporation contained, or of any 
supplement, or amendment thereto, to the contrary notwithstanding. 

IlL And he it enacted, That the name of "Queen's College," 
in their charter of incorporation contained, be, and the same here- 
by is changed to that of "' Rutgers College," and that the said 
corporation, shall from and after the passing of this act, be known 
and designated by the name and style of " The Trustees of Rutgers 
College in New-Jersey." Provided nevertheless, that nothing in 
this act contained shall be construed to afiect, or in anywise impair^ 
any contract, specialty, deed, mortgage, or other instrument of 
writing heretofore made, had, or given, to, by, or from, the said 
"Trustees of Queen's College, in New-Jers€^y," 

C. Passed November :30th, 1825. 



AUG 17 1900 



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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

028 307 018 9 



